“I use 'View on Galaxy Map' when looking for abandoned factions ships that need to be retrieved.

If a former faction member is still on board, does this count as tracking someone?”

Assets only show their complete location in inventory if they are in space, on the ground/uncarried, or on another asset that you/your faction owns. This is the intended function.

The features mentioned on the Sim News are bugged in that they will show locations even if they do not display in normal inventory, allowing you to "track" someone who has picked up an item of yours, or spawn an item/NPC, and discover your own location if you have been trapped somewhere.

If you are using these functions on assets you can see a full location for, then you are using them correctly. If you are using them to find assets you are not being given the full information on, then it's an exploit.

“What if the item is a tracking device?”

Tracking devices have a status of not yet implemented, so using them in this way is an exploit and not their intended function.

____________

"May the Grace of Ara go with you, and His Vengeance be wrought upon your enemies."

Lincrusta: You're not using the feature to track an individual so that shouldn't pose any issues, since it's just for logistical clean-up. If you come across an individual who happens to be on board an abandoned ship, well, theoretically you might have the records of the individual being assigned that ship in the first place. The Sim News post is referring specifically to using items to track players (generally those who have been captured by enemies).

Xanthe: Tracking devices will have their own functionality implemented, independent of this specific feature.

“Tracking devices have a status of not yet implemented, so using them in this way is an exploit and not their intended function.”

However here is a quote from Jenos the Asim.

“Jenos
Tracking device has not been implemented... however, using this method to track a tracking device before it's been implented, I'd personally consider IC... but that's just my view.”

In MY view it means that Jenos the Assistant Sim, a guy in position to ban for exploits, does not consider looking up a tracking device in inventory an exploit, which means it is okay and not ban-worthy in his view.

I may not be in the know like you had requested, meaning I'm not one of the staff, but for the answer you're looking for I'm going to quote something.

“Use the Combine features in the spirit in which they have been designed. Don't try to exploit the features, use your common sense when using them. Ask yourself what is the purpose of the feature you are using and as such, what is the normal use for it. Abuses will be punished.

- The Almighty Powerful Golden Rule”

My reason for putting that up is to highlight the fact that it states to use the Combine's features in the way they were meant to be used. The fact that the feature "View on Galaxy Map" is available means that you haven't broken the Goldne Rule. Furthermore, you've used it in the spirit in which it was designed, as you are not given its exact location and thus much search for it on your own.

So to answer your question plainly, no. No you have not broken the Golden Rule because you used a feature provided by the Combine Staff, and used in the way that it was designed. No exploitations occurred with you using the feature, just the location of your ship was found roughly so that you have to search for it without said feature.

“My reason for putting that up is to highlight the fact that it states to use the Combine's features in the way they were meant to be used. The fact that the feature "View on Galaxy Map" is available means that you haven't broken the Goldne Rule. Furthermore, you've used it in the spirit in which it was designed, as you are not given its exact location and thus much search for it on your own.”

Bullshit.

The inventory deliberately hides the complete location of assets that are aboard an entity that you do not own. The fact that "show on galaxy map" ignores this is a bug, and not the intended feature. If it wanted you to know what system they were in, then the inventory would show you the system.

This is why there needed to be a Sim News announcement that you're not supposed to do this.

Now, the Sim News specifically refers to tracking characters, not the assets themselves, which means the ASims aren't going to go tracking down everyone who has done this to try to pick up the belt they just purchased on CPM. But yes, you are violating the Golden Rule and exploiting a bug every time you do this.

____________

"May the Grace of Ara go with you, and His Vengeance be wrought upon your enemies."

1. It was designed to let you see your assets in a map. It was not designed to let you see assets on the map that have had their locations concealed in the inventory.

2. This is a game in development. You'll sometimes find contradictions. 'don't let me' pretty much means 'shut the game down for use until it's completely finished'. If you prefer that way, just don't play until the game is done.

3. Lose the moral outrage and relax. It's just some words on a screen.

"Bullshit" is often used in PG-13 films, I see it as a PG-13 term. Besides the A-Sims all ready acknowledged what you can use some of the features for and how they can be used.

Show on Galaxy map, is not intended to find your items for you if you don't have them showing on your inventory screen. I think it's common sense that if you don't have the item on your inventory page then you have to do some "actual" searching. It's not YOUR interpretation, or my interpretation that matters. It's what the A-Sims perceive, and it seems like

That's all well and good, but a rule intended to catch exploits in a game under development can't be clearcut. If you can't handle using your own judgment, go play a game that's finished development and has all its rules in place. Tic Tac Toe perhaps?

As for answering questions not directed at me, I figured that between Vrik's flawed answer to a question not asked of him, and your misplaced outrage at hal over a comment not directed at you, I'd conveniently overlook who comments were directed to as well. If you don't want someone else to answer, make your comments in private.

no. Mr. Breden. Its just it seems many of these exchanges turn into jabs being liberally taken, back and forth for pages and pages. Teyacapan Quetzalxochitl has already attempted to goad me into this, but I don't want to be a part of it, because it doesn't serve any point, or help any cause.

I will just ask my questions in private directly to the mods and creators of the game, as Teyacapan Quetzalxochitl suggested.

I am sorry that I didn't want to continue this exchange for your amusement. My apologies Mr. Breden.